Fundación Geniales

What Fundación Geniales does

Fundación Geniales is a Colombian non-profit foundation headquartered at the Las Américas Convention Center complex in Cartagena, Bolívar, that delivers structured 'integral human development' programs built on a proprietary methodology integrating Aristotelian virtue ethics, Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, DISC theory, and Hippocratic temperaments. Its portfolio spans six individual-oriented programs (Personas Geniales, Líderes Geniales, Ejecutivos Geniales, Jóvenes Geniales for ages 12–20, Familias Geniales, and the faith-integrated Talentos para Dios) and three organizational tracks (Empresas Geniales for corporate clients, Instituciones Educativas Geniales for K–12 schools, and Comunidades Geniales for community development). Delivery is blended, combining synchronous in-person or virtual sessions with asynchronous activities hosted on a proprietary WordPress-based virtual classroom (Aula Virtual) that includes facilitator feedback workflows and a free 'Aprender a Vivir Mejor' lead-generation course.

The foundation's revenue mix comprises program enrollment fees (individuals and cohorts), bespoke corporate InHouse training and certification contracts, book sales tied to founder-authored IP, and donations supported via an explicit CTA on its website. Go-to-market is hybrid: direct outreach through website contact forms and referrals for individuals; field sales and partnership-driven engagements for corporate, school, and government clients (notably the Gobernación de Bolívar, with which it executed a 3-year, 10-school Integral Human Development Program validated by Universidad de la Sabana). Marketing relies on the foundation's website, a 14+ edition newsletter ('Geniales: El Talento en Acción') distributed via SendInBlue, social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn), and a portfolio of public conferences and webinars.

The organization operates with a lean team of 6 employees and a Board of Directors comprising co-founders, local educators, and corporate leaders (including the Executive President of Grupo Hotelero Las Américas). Reported ordinary activity income stands at 141,275,972 COP per the May 2026 certificate of existence and legal representation. The foundation claims cumulative reach of 3,405 direct and 16,872 indirect beneficiaries from 2009–2022, anchored by its largest institutional engagement with the Bolívar departmental government.

Name

Fundación Geniales

Legal name

FUNDACION GENIALES

Website

https://fundaciongeniales.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fundación Geniales is a Colombian non-profit foundation in Cartagena that delivers proprietary integral human development programs (talent discovery, emotional intelligence, character, leadership) to individuals, families, schools, corporations, and communities through a WordPress-based virtual classroom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal and Professional Development Training

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leadership, Character Education & Values Development (EDAMAIAG), Growth Mindset, Motivation & Goal-Setting Programs (EDAMAIAE)

Keywords

• Integral human development
• Socio-emotional learning
• Personal development programs
• Corporate training services
• Character education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cartagena

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Program Enrollment Fees: Participants pay fees to enroll in Geniales programs such as Personas Geniales, Líderes Geniales, Ejecutivos Geniales, Jóvenes Geniales, and Familias Geniales. Programs are offered in-person, virtual, or hybrid formats with varying intensities (e.g., 80 synchronous hours + 40 individual hours over 3 years for institutional programs).
2. Corporate Training Services (Empresas Geniales): The foundation provides customized in-house training programs to corporate clients, including staff training with the Geniales Program, competency strengthening, innovation for leaders, and certification as a 'Geniales Company.' Revenue is generated through service contracts with businesses.
3. Donations and Philanthropic Support: The foundation accepts donations to support its social programs and activities, as evidenced by its 'Apoya nuestra labor donando aquí' (Support our work by donating here) CTA on its website. Donations support the social mission and program delivery to underserved communities.
4. Book Sales: The foundation sells books authored by Alberto Araújo Merlano, including 'Aprender a Vivir Mejor' (Learn to Live Better) and 'Semillas de Sabiduría' (Seeds of Wisdom), both used as supplementary materials for the Geniales programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fundación Geniales is a Colombian non-profit foundation that delivers structured integral human development programs for individuals, families, schools, companies, and communities. Its offerings combine in-person, virtual, and hybrid programs (Personas Geniales, Líderes Geniales, Ejecutivos Geniales, Jóvenes Geniales, Familias Geniales, Talentos para Dios) with organizational certification tracks (Instituciones Educativas Geniales, Empresas Geniales, Comunidades Geniales) delivered through a proprietary virtual classroom (Aula Virtual) and a proprietary temperament/character methodology grounded in Aristotelian virtues, Multiple Intelligences, and the DISC-derived Method of Colors (THT).

Product overview

Fundación Geniales offers a platform of integrated human development programs designed for individuals, families, and organizations. The core programs include Personas Geniales (foundational self-discovery), Líderes Geniales (leadership development), Ejecutivos Geniales (executive training integrating two levels), Jóvenes Geniales (youth development for ages 12-20), Familias Geniales (family relationship building), and Talentos para Dios (Christian-centered development). Organizational offerings encompass Instituciones Educativas Geniales (school certification), Empresas Geniales (corporate training and certification), and Comunidades Geniales (community development). All programs are delivered through a self-managed virtual classroom platform (Aula Virtual) with synchronous sessions, continuous facilitator support, and access to themed materials. The organization also provides conferences and webinars on integral development topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personas Geniales Core foundational program enabling individual participants to discover natural talents, build habits toward excellence, and strengthen character through emotional intelligence and temperament evaluation using the THT color methodology. Targeted at adults seeking personal growth.
• Líderes Geniales Leadership development program focused on personal transformation from the inside out, emphasizing soft-skills competencies that generate appropriate attitudes and drive continuous improvement toward excellence.
• Ejecutivos Geniales Executive program providing tools for modern executives to enhance their own talents while developing capacity to train and transform work teams and communities, integrating the Geniales 1 and Geniales 2 modules.
• Jóvenes Geniales Youth program for ages 12-20 focused on recognizing and stimulating natural talent development, providing practical tools for self-knowledge, goal-setting, and life project construction aligned with values and virtues.
• Familias Geniales Family program enabling couples to work on their family life project, stimulating growth in talents, virtues, and values while building stronger relationships among family members.
• Talentos para Dios Christian-focused program accompanying personal growth by helping participants understand their God-given talents and gifts in coherence with biblical teachings, integrating psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, and spiritual principles.
• Instituciones Educativas Geniales Educational institution certification program modifying pedagogical relationship models through integral human development, involving the teacher-student-family triad with 80 synchronous hours and 40 individual work hours over three years.
• Empresas Geniales Corporate program portfolio including staff training with Geniales Program, competency strengthening, innovation for leaders, youth programs for employees' children, educational institution support, and corporate certification as 'Empresa Genial'.
• Comunidades Geniales Community program helping communities achieve personal growth, generate social enterprises and projects, and create new community development dynamics through talent maximization and leadership development, including 2-hour weekly synchronous sessions.
• Aula Virtual (Virtual Classroom) Self-managed virtual learning platform providing course materials, synchronous sessions, and continuous facilitator follow-up with personalized feedback on completed activities.
• Conferencias (Conferences and Webinars) Public conferences and webinars on integral human development topics including attitudes toward challenges, multiple intelligences, time management, emotional intelligence, and family life projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,405 persons directly impacted; 16,872 indirectly impacted (2009–2022)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gobernación de Bolívar (Bolívar Department Government)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The Bolívar Department Government partnered with Fundación Geniales to implement an Integral Human Development Program (Programa de Desarrollo Humano Integral) across 10 educational institutions in the Bolívar department over a 3-year period. The program's impact was documented in a research report validated by Universidad de la Sabana, demonstrating positive outcomes in the intervened schools. This partnership represents the foundation's largest institutional engagement and provided significant scale to its educational programs.
• Universidad de la SabanaminorOthers · 1 January 2017Universidad de la Sabana conducted an independent research evaluation of the Geniales program's impact on 10 educational institutions in Bolívar Department, validating positive outcomes in student retention, academic performance, and school climate. The research served as the official impact assessment for the Bolívar Government partnership.
• Universidad Tecnológica de BolívarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009The foundation's first program cohort was conducted with 35 students from Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar in 2009, under the coordination of Alberto Araújo Merlano. This initial pilot validated the Geniales methodology and led directly to the formal creation of the foundation in 2010.
• Grupo Hotelero Las AméricascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrupo Hotelero Las Américas, led by Rodrigo Araújo Perdomo (Executive President), is a founding strategic partner and primary sponsor of Fundación Geniales. The foundation's headquarters are located within the Las Américas Convention Center complex. The hotel group provides venue support, corporate training for employees, and has co-sponsored multiple community events including the Tellersatorio Geniales 'Construyendo Territorio' held at Hotel Las Américas. The partnership includes employee programs (Jóvenes Geniales for children of hotel employees), company certification, and corporate social responsibility initiatives targeting La Boquilla community.
• The Talent System (THT)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe Talent System (THT) provides the proprietary temperament assessment methodology (Method of Colors) used across all Geniales programs. This alliance integrates THT's standardized four-temperament assessment, grounded in Hippocrates' theory and DISC, with the foundation's developmental curriculum. THT generates individualized reports and action plans for program participants and organizational teams.
• Colegio Ambientalista Cartagena de IndiasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the first two schools to implement the Geniales program, with sponsorship from Zona Franca Parque Central. The program worked with preschool and primary school teachers, 4th and 5th grade students, and their parents, validating the whole-school intervention model.
• Institución Educativa Técnica de La BoquillaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the first two schools to implement the Geniales program, with sponsorship from Hotel Las Américas. The program worked with the teaching staff of one campus, 5th grade students, and their parents, providing an early model for community-embedded educational intervention.
• Zona Franca Parque CentralminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZona Franca Parque Central sponsored the Geniales program at Colegio Ambientalista Cartagena de Indias and appears as a sponsor on the foundation's website. The partnership exemplifies the foundation's model of corporate sponsorship for educational programs in exchange for CSR recognition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mindvalley: Online lifelong learning platform delivering personal development, transformation, and well-being programs globally via virtual classrooms. Comparable to Geniales' Aula Virtual platform and adult lifelong learning focus.
• Search Institute: Non-profit research and training organization developing frameworks for positive youth development and character. Comparable to Geniales' youth programs (Jóvenes Geniales) and school-based character formation work.
• Dale Carnegie Training: Global training organization offering personal development, leadership, and corporate training programs with a proprietary methodology. Highly comparable to Geniales' corporate (Empresas Geniales) and individual (Personas Geniales) programs.
• Vistage Worldwide: Executive leadership development and peer advisory organization serving CEOs and senior leaders. Overlaps with Geniales' Ejecutivos Geniales corporate executive program offering.
• Landmark Worldwide: Offers personal development and transformation programs targeting self-knowledge, leadership, and life project design. Closely parallels the Geniales methodology's emphasis on personal transformation through structured curricula.
• FranklinCovey: Provides leadership development, organizational consulting, and personal effectiveness training to enterprises and schools globally. Directly comparable to Geniales' Ejecutivos Geniales and educational institution programs.
• Character.org: Non-profit focused on character education in K-12 schools through certification programs. Directly comparable to Geniales' Instituciones Educativas Geniales certification and character-virtue curriculum.
• John Maxwell Company: Leadership development training, coaching, and certification programs for executives, teams, and youth. Directly comparable to Geniales' Líderes Geniales and Jóvenes Geniales leadership offerings.

Regional players

• ASPAEN: Colombian K-12 educational institution network with a values-based formation model. Several Fundación Geniales board members co-founded ASPAEN Cartagena, evidencing direct philosophical and methodological kinship in character education.

Broad incumbents

• EverFi: Large-scale SEL and life skills platform serving K-12 institutions and corporates across multiple markets. Provides a broader, tech-enabled comparison point to Geniales' institutional SEL offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FundGeniales
• Facebookfacebook.com/FGeniales
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundacion-geniales
• Instagraminstagram.com/fundaciongeniales

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fundación Geniales